1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a torsional vibration damper, comprising a primary side, a secondary side and a plurality of damper spring arrangements, wherein every damper spring arrangement comprises at least one spring and can be supported in each circumferential end area at a supporting area of the secondary side and at a first and a second supporting area of the primary side which are arranged on both sides of the associated supporting area of the secondary side. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a torsional vibration for transmission of torque in a hydrodynamic torque converter.
2. Description of the Related Art
A prior art hydrodynamic torque converter is disclosed by DE 197 24 973 C1 having a torsional vibration damper arranged in a torque transmission path between a lockup clutch and a turbine wheel hub. This torsional vibration damper has a hub disk which is connected to a hub and which forms a plurality of supporting areas which are distributed in the circumferential direction. The torsional vibration damper further comprises cover disk elements forming another supporting area associated with each supporting area of the hub disk. The cover elements are located on both sides of the hub disk. Therefore, three supporting areas are located adjacent to one another in the axial direction, namely, two supporting areas of the cover disk elements which, for example, form a primary side, and a supporting area of the hub disk which, for example, forms a secondary side. Accordingly, groups of three supporting areas follow one another successively in the circumferential direction, wherein damper spring arrangements which are formed, for example, from an individual spring or a plurality of springs succeeding one another in the circumferential direction are supported respectively by their circumferential ends at the three supporting areas. Accordingly, spring windows in which the springs of a respective damper spring arrangement are received are formed between every two directly successive groups of spring windows along the circumferential direction. The two cover disk elements are connected with each other in their radial outer area by riveting. In addition, one of the cover disk elements is connected to the lockup clutch. Accordingly, the assembly of the torsional vibration is complex.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a torsional vibration damper that can be used for the transmission of torque in a hydrodynamic torque converter and which can provide a high degree of functional reliability in a simple construction.
The object is met by a torsional vibration damper according to an embodiment of the present invention for the transmission of torque in a hydrodynamic torque converter, the torsional vibration damper comprising a primary side, a secondary side and a plurality of damper spring arrangements, wherein every damper sing arrangement comprises at least one spring and is supportable at each circumferential end area against a supporting area of the secondary side and at a first and a second supporting area of the primary side which are arranged on both sides of the associated supporting area of the secondary side.
The primary side has a substantially annular carrier part and at least one of the first and second supporting areas is constructed separately and connected with the primary side.
A simple, highly stable construction is achieved by joining the primary side having, respectively, two axially adjacent supporting areas with an annular carrier part. In addition, the annular carrier part may take over additional functions such, for example, as the guidance of sliding elements of the damper spring arrangements.
The first and the second supporting areas of the primary side may each form a separate component group that is connected with the carrier part. In his way, a particularly simple production and a stable construction of the torsional vibration damper are simultaneously achieved.
When at least one of the first supporting areas and second supporting areas of the primary side in the torsional vibration damper according to the invention is connected with the carrier part as a separate structural component part, each of the individual parts which are to be connected with one another can be produced separately, for example, as a stamped part. The advantage herein consists in that waste can be minimized when carrying out the stamping process.
It is further possible for all first supporting areas and/or all second supporting areas to be connected to each other by a connection area to form a supporting area unit and for the respective supporting area unit to be fixed to the carrier part. This embodiment form has the special advantage that the process of joining can be simplified because not all of the supporting areas need to be arranged as individual components.
It is also possible for each pair of first and second supporting areas of the primary side to be connected by a connection area to form a supporting areas unit and for every supporting area unit to be connected with the carrier part. This likewise results in a damper which can be produced in a particularly simple manner without a large waste of material in which high stability is achieved especially in the area of the individual supporting areas.
The production process can be further simplified in that one of the first supporting areas and the second supporting areas of the primary side are constructed as one integral part with the carrier part. In this embodiment, the other respective one of the first and second supporting areas is connected as a separate component group with the carrier element.
To minimize the material waste occurring during production, the other one of the first and second supporting areas may be connected, as separate structural component parts, with the carrier part.
However, when the other one of the first and second supporting areas is constructed in one part with an annular carrier which is connected with the carrier part, the production process can be further simplified because the quantity of components to be joined to one another is reduced.
In a construction of a torsional vibration damper of the types mentioned above, it is not absolutely necessary that the supporting areas which are to be connected to the carrier part are directly connected therewith. For example, the other one of the first and second supporting areas may also be secured to a connection component and the carrier element can be secured to the connection component for connection with the other one of the first and second supporting areas. That is, the connection is carried out indirectly via the connection component without the components which are to be connected with one another last being fixedly connected directly with one another or even coming into direct physical contact with one another.
When the torsional vibration damper according to the present invention is used in a hydrodynamic torque converter, the connection component may be, for example, the turbine wheel shell of the hydrodynamic torque converter.
Also, in embodiment forms in which the components such, for example, as the primary side, of the torsional vibration damper which are to be connected with one another are not connected with the intermediary of a component of the hydrodynamic torque converter, a joining area may be provided at the carrier part or at the supporting areas to be connected therewith as a separate component group joined with, for example, a turbine wheel shell of a hydrodynamic torque converter.
As stated above, the construction of a torsional vibration damper according to the invention allows a multiple function to be integrated in a simple manner in the different functional groups of the torsional vibration damper. For example, every damper spring arrangement may have at least one sliding element by which a spring of the same is supported at the associated supporting areas or at another spring, and the carrier element may have at least a part of a sliding path for the at least one sliding element.
A particularly stable and easy-to-produce construction is achieved when at least one of the first and second supporting areas is connected with the carrier part by welding.
The present invention is further directed to a hydrodynamic torque converter with a torsional vibration damper according to the invention.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.